ColchesterCounty, N.S. Potholes

Welcome to Colchester Potholes!
This Web site serves as a photographic potholes database for Colchester County, Nova Scotia. Before heading out on a nice Sunday drive, we encourage you to view the reader contributed "pothole hotspots" in and around Colchester County to make your drive more enjoyable and, of course, to lessen the potential damage to your vehicle.

Colchester Potholes News & Site Updates

A Reason to Rejoice? - April 28/29, 2005

I had a phone call this morning telling me it looked like most potholes between Lower Onslow into Truro had been patched either last night or this morning! You can bet I'll have the camera out this afternoon and come back with a full report!

UPDATE: Well, I should rephrase that to a few holes along Old Tatamagouche and Laybolt have been filled (quite a bit less than half the holes actually). I'm not sure why the trucks would be out on the road and not do all the potholes instead of filling a couple, missing some then filling another one in. Unless of course, only specific holes are reported and they just do those..... :)

Sunday Drive *Bumpity-Bump* - April 24, 2005

Despite the somewhat rainy day I decided to pack the kids up and head to beautiful Five Islands for the day. Needless to say it was quite the bumpy ride! Some areas through Bass River were horrid, as were Economy and Five Islands. Have a peek at some of the rural roads you'll have to drive on in some of the most beautiful communities in Colchester County. I've updated the Photo Gallery with pothole hotspots found in Great Village, Bass River, Economy, Carrs Brooke, and Five Islands.

We're up to 68 photos now in the Gallery. Don't forget to get your pothole photos sent in for a chance at those Tim Horton's gift certificates! Check out the Submit a Photo section for details.

Phone calls, Big Dog/Cat Country, New Forums & Guestbook Issues - April 21, 2005

All kinds of interesting things to report on today! I'm editing the news posts to keep the main page a bit shorter. Since I expect this to be my last update for the day I've condensed the blurbage a wee bit!

First a big kudos to Tim Tucker and the newsroom at Truro's Cat Country/Big Dog for doing a story this morning on the Colchester Potholes Web site! As always, you guys and gals over there rock!

This morning I called in and reported the potholes listed in the photo gallery to the N.S. Public Works and Transportation Department. As more photos come in, they will be reported as well. If you are interested in reporting potholes in your area you can find contact information and phone numbers linked in the "Report a Hole" section of this Web site. The Department of Transportation & Public Works survey states that only 18% of residents reported problems in 2004 so let's all put this number on the rise for their 2005 survey!

The kind folks at Nova Scotia Connect have created a forum & chat area for Nova Scotia residents to post stories and to chat in general about the conditions of roads and potholes in Nova Scotia. Please visit the "Forums" link of the Web site for information on how to join up!

Lastly I realized my "free guestbook" was sending out a thank-you e-mail to everyone who posted in there, with an ad in it. I have just paid for and registered the Guestbook for Colchester Potholes, so this e-mail and advertisement and ad pop-up windows when you sign should disappear shortly!

More Highway Users Satisfied - April 20, 2005

The Department of Transportation & Public Works has issued a press release stating that 63% of residents felt "very" or "somewhat" satisfied with the provincial highway system. Here are a few of my own personal comments on this press release:

The press release (which goes out to media outlets) does not make a distinction between how many residents were somewhat satisfied as opposed to very satisfied. If you read the actual survey however, the results state that out of that 63% positive response only 11% fell in the "very satisfied" category with the larger portion of 52% of residents saying only somewhat satisfied. I love how those two numbers were lumped together. You have to admit it does sound better than "A Whopping 11% of Nova Scotians are very satisfied with the provincial highway system".

Some other interesting things produced by this survey:

Colchester Counties are a part of the Northern District and had the second highest response number for "Very Dissatisfied" for 2004.
The survey results also go on to list the three main dissatisfaction reasons for Nova Scotians, one of which is potholes.
(For All Districts Combined) Services receiving the lowest rankings in 2004 include filling cracks and potholes, paving sections of highways, grading and dust control, and surface condition of highway shoulders. Here is a direct quote from the survey:

"It is the fifth year in a row that filling cracks and potholes has produced the largest gap value (86%). This is a strong indication that the Department of Transportation and Public Works is not providing sufficient services in regard to filling cracks and potholes."

Be sure to read the full survey results, which is linked off the press release. The survey conducted was focused on highways only unfortunately (with exception of one question related to pedestrian safety) and not our rural roads and streets in Colchester County and other districts in Nova Scotia.

Photo Section Updated - April 15, 2005

We are now up to over 40 photos in the Photo Gallery with new images from the Belmont and Old Tatamagouche Road having been added.

Photo Section Updated - April 14, 2005

New photos of Crowes Mills Road have been added to the Photo Gallery. We took a drive down this road yesterday, and could have stopped just about every couple of feet for pictures. This road is definitely in deplorable condition! Many thanks to my friend Sharon for the photos (and the coffee on the way home too!)

Photo Submissions - April 13, 2005

One Colchester County resident who submits a pothole photo before May 31, 2005 will receive $20 worth of Tim Hortons gift certificates!! Check out the "Submit Photo" page for details!

"Neglected Road of The Week"

NS Liberal Caucus On Line has launched a "Neglected Road of The Week" section on their Web site.

Photo Section Updated

Photos of potholes in the Lower Onslow Area have been added.

Riling Over Rocky Roads

(Outside Colchester County) This CBC Nova Scotia video file has Ann Woodworth on the situation in Pictou County where road rage has taken on a whole new meaning.

"Pothole Big Enough to Conceal a Microwave Oven"

Thursday, March 31, 2005 - Truro Daily News Story
New car and Robert Boake are bent out of shape : "MILLBROOK – As Robert Boake was driving home to Brentwood after work one night his new car hit a pothole big enough to conceal a microwave oven."

( A Message from Aurora...

Why?

If you have to drive these horrid roads in Colchester County, then you'd already know "why". Wouldn't it be so nice to get in your car with a freshly brewed Timmy's and actually make it to your destination without spilling the coffee all over the seat and yourself? Wouldn't it be nice to have your tires aligned - and have them stay aligned for more than a few weeks (if that)?

Wouldn't it be nice if we could actually see our tax dollars at work on Colchester County roads?

Many MANY thanks to Sharon for helping me with Colchester Potholes!